Loose-leaf binder.



o. 868,683. v PATENTED OCT. 22, 1907. "L'. M. .MORDBN;- LOOSE LEAP BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED JARS, 1'906.

UNITED STATES LUOENA M. MORDEN, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.Patentad ot. 22, 1907.

Application at; January 3,1906. satin K022954811.

To all whom it may concern: 7 v

Be it known that I, LUCENA H. MORDEN, a citizen of the United'States, of 59 Grand street, Waterbury countyoi New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have:

invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Loose-Leaf Binders, fully described and represented 1 in the following specification. and the accompanying drawings, forming a part oi'the same.

' The present invention relates to that class of'looso leaf files or binders in which a series of perforated leaves is held together removably by. a series of rings.

suitable base-plate and back-plate with-means for spacing them apart, of rings each divided into two parts, one part having its lowerentremity connected rigidly to the base-plate, and the opposite part having a shank sxtcndedthroughthe base-plate to the back-plate, crank-arms attached to such shanks and formed with flat circular heads, and the heads con;

nected by a link formed with circular notches in the edges, the notches fitting over/the circular heads and forming a jointed connection therewith so as to turn Figure 1 is an end view of a loose leaf lile provided.

with covers; Fig. 2 is afplan of the connecting link; Fig. 3 is a plan of the base and divided ring fixtures;

Fig.4 is an edge view of the same; Fig. 5 is a cross section of the base-plate adjacent to the middle ring in Fig. 3 at the left hand side of such ring. Fig. 6 is a plan of the base-plate inverted; and Fig. 7 is aperspective view of the movable ring part and its lever-arm.

In Fig. l, the binderfile is shown provided with covers A connected by a flexible portion B which is nected -rigidly thereto, and the movable ring part b attached to the ring holding fixtures and terms the hinges for the covers.- The fixtures described herein are adapted for various other kinds ofbinders.

The base-platen isshown with the ring part b coni having a shank 1 extended through the base-plate and provided upon the under side oi such plate with a crank-arm 0. (See Fig. 5.) The crank-arms are formed, as shown in Figs. 3 and 7, with a fiat circular head 11, and such crank-arms are connected to ,turn together b y the connecting link a formed of fiat sheetmetal and havihg circular notches f formed in its edge to fit the circular heads 41.

The centers of the notched] are spaced at the same distance'as the rings upon the base-plate a, and the link thus operates to hold all the rings in their closed or open position, and to move all the iings-simultane ously when any of them is turned. The direct connection of the movable parts of the rings by crankarms and a link, obviates the necessity of operating the rings by a slide or any handle upon the base-plate separate from the movable parts'b. To check the movement of the parts I) when turnedby hand into-coin- "cidence with the parts b, as shown in Fig. 8, a shoulder g is formed upon ohe side of each crank-arm to form a stop of suitable shape to contact with the adjacent side oi the link 0, and a shoulder g is formed \Ipo. the opposite side of each crank-arm to form a corresponding stop to check thefln ovementoitheparts b when turned to the position of the parts b, indicated in full lines, and the shoulders gare iormed to permit a-lnovement of each crank-arm through about ninety degrees.

edges is shown secured to the base-plate by screws 1', with spacin -pieces 3' between the two toleave room for the crank-arms and link," The spacing'pieces are formed to support leai springs is, one of which is shownsupported adjacent to each of the cranklarms, the .heel ofsuch arm being provided with two oppositely inclined seats m against which the spring pressesto hold the dividedring either closed or opened. I j

The inclined seats m are formed to'hold the crankarms in the'r'espective positions in which the arms are arrested by the operation of the stops g and y. i

arms would operate to hold all of them in thedesired positions, and it' is therefore immaterial whether or not a spring be applied to eachcrank-arm, as shown in plied to the exterior of the coversmay be extended overthe outer side of the back-plate so as to conceal plication to a baseboard or other element required to make a complete file or temporary binder of the dc sired'form. i

ends of the crank-arms, as this construction places the base pl'ate an'd back-plate may be brought very close together. In similar. constructions it is common to of the crank-arnis, and thus requiringan additional separation of the base-plate and back-plate by the entirely open, as indicated by the dotted lines (1 in Fig. 3. -lhcse ddtted lines are shown at right'augles The invention embodies the combination with a.

within such flanges by-a locking-plate k, and secured the same, as shown at B in. Fig. 5. The back'plate does not need to be flanged except forthe purpose just described, but may be made of any form suited for aplink and crank-arms in'the same plane, so that thethickness of such connecting link; but in the present 16 A back-plate 72 with inwardly bent flanges ii at the Asthe crank arms are coupled together by the link e, it is obvious that a spring. applied to one of the crank- .The back-plateis shown with inwardly and back a piece of flexible fabric for connection with the covers A great-advantage is secured by forming the connect; ing link with notches to engage circular heads upon the connect crank-arms bya 'link'extended' over the sides construction the spacingpieces same thickness as the crai'ik-ar ms, as the'japplication of the link to the crank-arms does not -rhqi ire any additional space. I i l Where the connecting link is formed/with ithe, circular notchesf, the crank-arms are necessarily projected all at the same side of their pivots, and the movable parts I) of the rings are all moved simultaneously in the same direction.

Where divided arches have been heretofore connected to turn in the same direction, they have been'combined with nv handle extended beyondthe end or the base;plate.'and the arches could not be opened without manipulating such handle. Such handles are commonly held in place by friction. and to operate such a irictionally held handle, it is necessary to grasp the hinder or file with one hand and to use the other hand to pull out or push in such handle.

In the present construction, no handle is required to move the divided rings simultaneously, as the 'Inovable part 1) upon any ring may be turned by one hand to open or close the entire series.

In Fig. 5, the shank Z of the movable ring-part b is shown extended through the base-plate and'journaled in a hearing Z therein; 7 i

The crank-arm issecured rigidly upon the inner end of such shank and is fitted snugly between the baseplate and back-plate so that the pivoted ring part cannot be tipped in any directioin Such pivoted part is 7 thus held lirmly independently of its jrlurnal-bearing in the base-plate, and is prevented from hecmning loose in its bearing l) y Wear. I have therefore claimed the crank-arm fitted snug] y between such plates to op crate in this manner. I

So far 'as thespacing apart of the plates (1 and h. is concerned it isobviously immaterial how the spacing is effected, and longitudinal flanges. upon the plate a or plate i oi the same height as the spacing pieces j may be made or the 8 would obviously hold the two plates separated the same as the spacing pieces, and would in effect be pieces that spaced the plates apart. I'have therefore claimed spacing pieces irrespective oi their form.

the part I) having its lower extremity connected rigidly to the base-plate u. and the opposite part I) having shank 1 extended through the base-plate to the hack-plate h, crankarlns attached to'such shanks, such arms fitting snuglybetween the plates :1 and 7 and having fiat circular heads 1, and a'ilat sheetniet'al connecting link 0 provided with the circular notches f in its edge fitted inovably to theede'es otisnch heads, taneonsly.

2. In a loose for turning all the parts I) simulin; its lower extremity connected rigidly to the base-plate a,

v and the opposite part I) having shank l extended through the baseplate to the hack-plate h, crank-arms upon the pivoted parts I), such arms having circular heads, a connecting link with circular notches fitted to such heads, and a spring arranged and operated upon vone of the crank-arms to hold all of the divided rings open or closed.

.3. In a loose leaf file, the combination, with a suitable l)ase-plute, of a series of divided rings, one part'of each f xed rigidly to thebase-plate, and the other part pivotedthereon, eranlearms upon such'pivotedpurts beneath the hase-p1ate and having circnlaitheads, a connecting link' \VliilhCll'Clllill' notches, fitted to such heads, inclined shoulheel of one of the crank-arms with af'spring operating to leaf file, the combination; with the base. plate a, back-plate It and means'for spacing the plates H apart, of rings each divided into two parts, the part b havhold the cl'illlli'tll'll'l in opposite positions; as and for the;

purpose set forth. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses. 

